


Borrowed Time

by redtunics (sonoflaufey)



Category: Iron Man - Fandom, Marvel, Norse Mythology, Thor - Fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:42:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24139819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonoflaufey/pseuds/redtunics
Summary: This is a mere prologue to a piece I’d eventually like to finish when not working on my main fic. Tony Stark has always been a Comfort™ character of mine that I love writing.warnings / tags / ships will be added / changed as I go. I hope you all enjoy this!
Kudos: 1





	Borrowed Time

**Author's Note:**

> This is a mere prologue to a piece I’d eventually like to finish when not working on my main fic. Tony Stark has always been a Comfort™ character of mine that I love writing.
> 
> warnings / tags / ships will be added / changed as I go. I hope you all enjoy this!

Tony was gasping for air that couldn’t quite come easy, eyes wide as his vision focused. He felt pain that wasn’t quite physical, like a phantom limb throbbing despite nothing being there.

There was a bright, blinding light, and then instant burning all down his right side. But he had made peace with his decision that led him to this moment — swiping the infinity stones from Thanos’ possession and using them despite the consequences.

What he felt now was like what he had felt during the snap but in reverse, and much, _much_ slower. This time seemed more painful, given that it was something he hadn’t quite wanted to experience. _Again_.

“Oh god, where **am** I?” he heaved, blinking back tears. The first thing he smelled was . . . sandalwood? A sharp, piney smell that flooded his nostrils. His vision was blurred and difficult to focus, coming to very slowly; a ringing in his ears dulled any noise surrounding him.

Jesus, was he dead? Is this what the afterlife was supposed to be like?

His armor whirred as he attempted to sit up, confused as to how he ended up on his back to begin with; he immediately pinched the bridge of his nose as his senses slowly came back to life, a headache pulsing in his temples.

Taking several deep breaths, Tony wiped a palm down his face before looking at both hands — although still relatively dirty, they were otherwise unharmed, as seemed the rest of his body. He turned his hands over and studied what he could see that was no longer covered in armor.

Nothing seemed to hurt as he moved and twisted about, the burning sensation slowly diminishing as he came to. The only painful thing to remain was his headache, still pulsing at his temples.

With furrowed brows, Tony rose to his feet, rocking slightly as he tried to catch his footing. His legs felt weak beneath him, most likely from lack of use. Who knew how long he’d been laying there?

“Where can I find someone to give me somewhere answers?” he whispered to himself, his surroundings becoming more and more unfamiliar the longer he observed them.

Fields of golden wheat and tall grass stretched for miles, standing up to his thigh. It swayed in the wind, a soft breeze that he could barely feel against his skin. He skimmed the tops of the wheat with his palms as he continued to get some sense of location or direction.

Neglected, abandoned outposts and cabins stood scattered for as long as the eye can see, dirt paths connecting them. Off in the far distance, in which direction Tony couldn’t tell, was a town or some kind of village. Would there be civilization?

He slowly inched forward several steps before a chill went down his spine, like the frost that spilled with the words from a surprise companion.

“I wouldn’t quite go that way just yet.”


End file.
